Chainfire: Chainfire Trilogy Part 1

At the top, as he crossed the expansive marble platform he could hear Nicci and Cara rushing up the steps after him. For the first time, he noticed that there seemed to be quite a few people on the grounds of the former palace. From the height of the platform he could see the river that cut through the city. Flocks of birds wheeled above the swirling water. Beyond the towering columns behind the statue, green hills and trees wavered in the heat.

The proud figure of Spirit rose up before him, glorious in the golden late-day sunlight. He laid a hand against the cool, smooth stone for support. He could hardly endure the pain of what he felt at that moment.

When Cara came close he looked up into her blue eyes. "Is that what you believe, too? That I'm just inventing in my head that Kahlan was hurt and you and I cared for her? This statue doesn't spark any memory? It doesn't help you recall anything?"

Cara gazed up at the mute statue. "Now that you brought it up, Lord Rahl, I remember when I found the tree. I remember you smiling at me when I showed it to you. I remember that you were pleased with me. I also remember some of the stories you told me when you carved, and I remember you listening to some of my stories. But you carved a lot of things that summer."

"That summer before Nicci came and took me away," he added.

"Yes."

"And if I'm only dreaming, and Kahlan doesn't exist, then how did Nicci manage to capture me and take me away if you were there to protect me?"

Cara paused, taken abuck by the culling tone of the question. "She used magic."

"Magic. Mord-Sith are the counter to magic, remember? That's their whole reason for their existence-to protect the Lord Rahl from those with magic who would do him harm. The day Nicci showed up she intended to do me harm. You were there. Why didn't you stop her?"

Terror crept incrementally into Cara's blue eyes. "Because I failed you. I should have stopped her, but I failed. A day does not go by that I don't wish you would punish me for failing in my duty to protect you." Her face stood out crimson against her blond hair as her sudden confession burst forth. "Because I failed you, you were captured by Nicci and taken away for nearly a year-all because of me. If it had been your father I failed in such a fashion he would have executed me, but only after making me beg for death until I was hoarse. And he would have been right to do so; I deserve no less. I failed you."

Richard stared in shock. "Cara — it wasn't your fault. That's the whole point of my question. You should remember that you could have done nothing to stop Nicci."

Cara's hands fisted. "I should have, but I didn't. I failed you."

"Cara, that's not true. Nicci used a spell on Kahlan. Had either of us done anything to stop her, Nicci would have killed Kahlan."

"What!" Nicci objected. "What in the world are you talking about?"

"You captured Kahlan with a spell. That spell connected you to Kahlan and was directly controlled by your intent. If I hadn't gone with you, you could have killed Kahlan at any time with no more than a thought. That, for the most part, was why Cara and I could do nothing."

Nicci planted her hands on her hips. "And just what kind of a spell do you think could accomplish such a thing?"

"A maternity spell."

Nicci regarded him with a blank look. "A what?"

"A maternity spell. It created a connection that made anything that happened to you happen to her. If Cara or I had harmed or killed you, the same fate would have befallen Kahlan. We were helpless. I had to do what you wanted. I had to go with you or Kahlan would have died. I had to do as you wished or you could have taken her life through the link of that spell. I had to make sure nothing happened to you or the same fate would befall Kahlan."

Nicci shook her head with incredulity and then, without comment, turned to stare off at the hills beyond the statue.

"It wasn't your fault, Cara." He lifted her chin to make her wet eyes look up at him. "Neither of us could have done anything. You didn't fail me."

"Don't you think that I would like to believe you? Don't you think that I would, if it were true?"

"If you don't remember what I'm telling you really happened," Richard said, "then just how do you think Nicci managed to capture me?"

"She used magic."

"What kind of magic?"

"I don't know what kind of magic it was-I'm no expert on how magic works. She just used magic, that's all."

He turned to Nicci. "What magic? How did you capture me? What spell did you use? Why didn't I stop you? Why didn't Cara stop you?"

"Richard, that was — what, a year and a half ago? I don't remember exactly what spell I used that day to capture you. It wasn't all that hard. You don't have the ability to control your gift or mount a defense against someone experienced with it. I could have tied you up in knots of magic and had you over the back of a horse without working up a sweat."

"And why didn't Cara try to stop you?"